Improvement in spring-clasps



E. U. ATKINSON.

Spring-Clasp.

No. 215,037. Patenfed May 6, I879.

fizz/620597;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD U. ATKINSON, OF MARTLING, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPRING-CLASPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,037., dated May 6, 1879 ,application filed December 20, 1878.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD U. ATKINSON, of Martling, in the county of Newton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Clasps for Sampling Goods; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a view of the blank as out to form the spring-clasp; Fig. 2, aperspective view of the spring-clasp. Fig. 3 shows the clasp as applied to a card-board.

This invention relates to improvements in spring-clas'ps especially adapted for sampling goods; and the invention consists in a novel construction of spring-clasps, whereby they are adapted to be easily and readily attached to card-board or boxes for holding samples of goods, all as will be hereinafter fully de-.

scribed.

In the drawings, Arepresents my improved spring-clasp, formed in one piece, from any suitable elastic material, with outwardly-projecting arms B B, curved and bent as shown in Fig. 2, to give the required elasticity or spring-pressure for holding the sampled article when placed between said arms. The clasp is provided with the pointed prongs b b, which can be easily forced through cards or the ends or sides of boxes, and bent down, as shown in Fig. 3, thus securing the clasp in position.

In making the clasp a single piece of sheet I metal is used, cut as shown in Fig. 1, which is then bent as shown in Fig. 2, to form the clasp and pointed prongs.

Fig. 4. represents a modification of my improved clasp, formed from a single sheet or piece of suitable elastic metal, similar to the clasp shown in Fig. 2, with the exception that the prongs b b are struck out so as to form a supporting -base, a a, on both sides of the prongs.

The above-described spring-clasp, being very simple in its construction, affords a ready means for sampling goods, obviating the use of twine, wire, or tin bands, commonly used for securing knives and other cutlery, to which my device is more especially applicable, thus exposing to view the Whole article or one-half of it without covering portions thereof, as is the case in using the above-described devices. My invention is also applicable to various other articles that can be forced between the spring-arms.

I do not desire to claim, broadly, clasps composed of outwardly-projectin g curved and bent spring-arms, or clasps with struck-up attaching-points, as I am aware that they are old; but

I claim as my invention- The herein-described spring-clasp A for sampling goods, consisting of the outwardlyprojecting curved and bent spring-arms B B and the projecting attaching-prongs b 1), formed from a single piece of suitable elastic sheet metal, and adapted to be secured to cardboard or boxes, substantially as shown and specified.

EDWARD U. ATKINSON.

Witnesses:

R. I. HENDERSON, W. H. FARR. 

